Jung-gu Chinese restaurant for a quiet 3pm five-dish meal: Huhugwan

Today I'm sharing an honest review of Huhugwan City Hall branch (후후관), a great-vibe Chinese restaurant near Deoksugung by City Hall Station in Seoul. From the moment I walked in to the moment I paid and left, the staff were genuinely so kind that I left feeling fully recharged. Let me walk you through the hip interior, the varied menu, and the exact business hours! 🥢✨

Where is Huhugwan City Hall branch, and when is it open?

Huhugwan City Hall branch is on the 2nd floor at 2 Seosomun-ro 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's 93m from Exit 10 of City Hall Station, under a minute's walk, so it's easy to find.

⏰ The posted hours are slightly different from what's listed on Naver, so I'd recommend calling ahead. Holiday hours may also vary seasonally, so definitely check Naver Place before you visit!

Where to park near Huhugwan: private lots at 6,000 won an hour

🅿️ Huhugwan doesn't have its own parking lot. But there are two private lots right near the restaurant. We parked for about an hour and paid ₩6,000 — honestly, paying a bit more to park close by beats saving money at a distant public lot for your peace of mind 👀 It's just a 1–2 minute walk from Huhugwan!

Here's what the entrance looks like.

Now let's follow the stairs up!

Inside Huhugwan: an interior straight out of a Hong Kong film

Step into Huhugwan City Hall branch and you're greeted by an exotic, stylish interior that feels like a scene out of a Hong Kong movie. The hip posters on the walls, the red accent lighting, and the red lanterns give it a distinctly trendy Chinese-restaurant mood. There are also great bar-style counter seats (dachi seats) perfect for a solo drink or a date.

How to order by QR code at Huhugwan

At Huhugwan, you can order smartly using the QR code placed at every table!

• Open your camera and scan the ordering QR code.
• Browse the menu and pick your dishes and drinks at your own pace.
• Pay at the counter after you finish eating!

You can order and eventually pay right from your seat without ever having to flag down a staff member — super convenient! Introverts will love this system 👀

Here's the QR code at each table!

Table setting: pickled radish and nutty tea instead of water

🫖 Every table comes with pickled radish as a default side, and instead of plain bottled water, they serve a nutty, fragrant tea — barley tea? Oolong? — that paired perfectly with the rich Chinese dishes!

Everything we ordered at Huhugwan, dish by dish

Let me introduce each of the dishes we ordered in generous variety!

Yurinchi (crispy fried chicken in tangy sauce)

💛 Yurinchi that grabs your attention with its looks alone! Crispy fried chicken topped with a tangy-sweet sauce, colorful vegetables and spicy peppers — it's the kind of magically addictive dish you keep picking at without ever feeling greasy.

Eggplant rice bowl

💛 Soft, moist eggplant piled generously on rice — this hearty, satisfying bowl kept my spoon moving nonstop. The seasoning tasted familiar somehow, but I still haven't figured out what it reminded me of. It's an approachable flavor that everyone, young and old, would enjoy! Spice level is adjustable, so order it to suit your taste. We went with something around Shin Ramyun spice level, and it wasn't spicy at all!

Garlic scape fried rice

💛 The garlic scapes keep their crunch, sending a nutty aroma through every bite of rice — a really charming fried rice! Fluffy stir-fried rice loaded generously with crisp garlic scapes and minced meat gives you plenty of fun textures to chew through. It's not overly bold in flavor, yet strangely addictive, and it was also the perfect companion to pair alongside the other dishes.

Chinese boiled dumplings

💛 Moist, tender dumpling wrappers combined with a special sauce delivered that distinctly exotic Chinese flavor. A subtle, tingling mala note in the sauce kept things interesting, and I enjoyed it all the way through without ever getting tired of it!

Fried dumplings and menbosha (shrimp toast) via the Naver coupon and review event

💛 The dumplings were crispy on the outside and packed with juicy filling inside — a fun-to-chew specialty. The mentbosha in particular was a standout, with plump, springy shrimp packed inside crispy toast bread, bursting with savory juice with every bite. I'd definitely recommend joining the event to try it!

The drink: Taiwanese apple cider

💛 Refreshing, sweet Taiwanese apple cider paired perfectly with the rich Chinese dishes. I'd been wanting to try this drink, and since Huhugwan had it, I ordered it right away.

How quiet is Huhugwan at 3pm?

🕒 I visited Huhugwan City Hall branch at an in-between time, around 3pm. Since it wasn't the meal-time peak, the whole restaurant was really calm and quiet, so I got to eat at a relaxed pace without any noise — I loved it! It's great for lunch, and since the lunch and dinner menus are separate, it's also a great spot to enjoy differently depending on the time of day or your mood.

The best part: Huhugwan's unfailingly kind staff

❤️ What stuck with me most at Huhugwan was the staff's service. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, they treated us so warmly and kindly that I found myself thinking, 'Are all Seoul restaurants this friendly?' Great food plus friendly service made this a place that left me genuinely happy! 👍🏻

🚻 Just a heads up — the restroom isn't inside the restaurant itself, but down the stairs toward the 1st floor (it's code-locked)!

Final verdict on Huhugwan City Hall branch

✨ If you want a hip atmosphere and delicious Chinese food near City Hall Station at the same time, I'd recommend this place without hesitation. The dishes genuinely go so well with alcohol that if I hadn't driven, I'd have ordered a beer on the spot 😢 Next time I really want to try the dinner menu too. A relaxed meal during a quiet hour, trendy interior, a convenient QR ordering system, and warm, kind staff — everything about Huhugwan City Hall branch was perfect. Definitely worth a visit! 💯